Pretty Soldier Sailormoon Universal, Book I: Shadows of the Moon
by Tokino-Sunao
Summary: Eight years after the battle with Galaxia, the flow of space-time is disturbed once again. Who are the mysterious new soldiers to appear, and what can their presence reveal about the future as it was altered by the Black Moon a decade before? And what does it say about the young woman who has forsaken her post for the one she loves? Updates bi-monthly.
1. Prologue

**Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Universal: Shadows of the Moon**

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Notes:

Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim any rights to the characters or story of Sailor Moon created by Takeuchi Naoko-sensei. Any original characters (OC) introduced, however, are my independent creations; if for any reason you want to use them or collaborate, please contact me.

Rating: I have rated this story as T for teens 13+ for some violence, adult themes (non-explicit), and discussion of some darker themes that may be disturbing for younger readers.

Language notes: At multiple times during the story, you will find special characters and/ or superscripts that relate to notes on the language being used by the characters (found at the bottom of each chapter). This is in place to distinguish both between different languages (e.g., Japanese vs. English), and between different Japanese words and associated kanji that have the same English translation (e.g., "daisuki" vs. "aishiteiru," both being translated as "love," but the former being multi-purpose while the latter is reserved specifically for romantic love).

Character development notes: While I have endeavored to maintain as much of the original nature of all of the characters, obvious artistic license has been taken as all of the characters have aged a minimum of eight years since the battle with Galaxia (here taken to be at the end of 1997) and thus, cannot reasonably be depicted exactly as they were in the anime or manga, upon which this story is founded primarily and secondarily, respectively. One specific note is that in all of my works, Tenoh Haruka/ Sailor Uranus is written as a transgender man (FtM), resulting in (he) and Kaiou Michiru forming a straight union; while this may bother some readers, after 16 years of writing these characters, this is the only reality that makes sense from my perspective. Additionally, I have made the rather common assumption that Hino Rei and Aino Minako are also a couple. You will find a diversity of sexualities and gender expressions and identities in all of my works.

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 **Prologue**

 _"What is Time? Time is what gives us direction and a framework for understanding the interface of objective and subjective realities. We exist within Time, and yet, experience much of ourselves outside of its seemingly linear trajectory. Time passes, we can see the records of it written in decaying isotopes, stratified rock formations and the fossils therein, and in the artifacts of those who came before us. These are objective truths that profess to us that Time has a single direction - forward. But what about our subjective truths? Have you ever felt yourself living in a future that you've not yet created, or in a past that you can no longer touch? The fact is that most of us experience Time in a multi-directional way; it is sometimes moving forward and other times, in reverse, and the pace of it can change so dramatically that from day-to-day, we may feel as if we're laboriously climbing or falling rapidly into its depths. It would seem then that Time is very much a dynamic parameter in our lives, rather than a simple measurement ticking away in the background. And so, it is with this question that I leave you: If the mind is non-corporeal, is it subject to the same limits that would seem to govern the objective way in which the physical world must experience Time?"_ \- Meiou Wakana, Quantum Metaphysics, 29 September 2048

 **Silver Millennium**

The sound of laughter drew the young woman's attention; she watched the Princess of Neptune move effortlessly with the Prince of Uranus. The Lunar Ball was being held to celebrate the coming of age of the Princess of the Moon. Sailor Pluto stood separated from the others, and her pupils dilated as she watched the darkness move in. Her oldest friend, the Prince of Earth, fought valiantly. It wasn't enough. From where she watched at the Gates of Time, her heart sank with the fate that she already knew. In the silence of solitude, no one could witness her sobbing as she watched their lights extinguish. She would wait two thousand years before she again knew love or friendship.

 **Crystal Tokyo**

"Plu, you're my only friend. Promise me we can always be together?" Sailor Pluto smiled down at the young girl who held tightly to her legs. One of her hands passed through her wavy /

"Small Lady, you are the most important person to me." She knelt down, and cupped the child's face, bringing their crimson gazes /

"I swear that I will always come to you if you should need me." The third Princess Serenity smiled brightly, and she immediately latched on to Pluto's /

"I love you!*" Pluto embraced her.

"Small Lady…"

* * *

 **Language notes:** The asterisk (*) indicates that here Chibiusa/ Neo-Princess Serenity is saying "大好きです!" or "daisuki desu," which is a way of expressing a high degree of affection but has no romantic connotations.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Return of a Princess, Defeat of the Dark Queen!**

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Princess Serenity strained against the force of the Silver Crystal whose energy she directed at the still glaring woman. While the Earth had been mostly at peace from extraterrestrial forces during the eight years since the battle between Sailor Moon and Galaxia, the Dark Empress was the second foe to try to seize control of the blue planet. The princesses and princes of the other planets fought against her generals as their leader engaged her. 

"You will not defeat me, little one. The Earth will be mine!" The silver-skinned woman bellowed, and Prince Endymion struggled to break free of the man he fought.  
"Usa-ko!" he called to his wife. The Princess of Pluto spun her staff, and it fell heavily upon the man fighting Endymion; their eyes locked for a moment.  
"Go to her!" Endymion left Setsuna to battle the man, and he ran to support Serenity, adding his own crystal to hers to combat the Dark Empress. 

The Princess of Saturn drew her scythe in a broad arc, energy slicing through the woman she'd been dueling, and she fell to the ground. Hotaru leapt to cover Setsuna's back, and the Prince of Uranus and Princess of Neptune joined them as they dispensed with the Dark Empresses' generals they'd been fighting (1). The woman noticed their victory out of her periphery, and glared. Gray, gelatinous forms took shape from the rain-drenched earth, and raced toward them. The guardians prepared themselves to continue the fight, but the attack never reached them. A purple flash of light temporarily blinded them, and then a deep magenta energy disintegrated the viscous monsters.  
"What now!?" the Dark Empress shrieked. The Princesses of Venus and Jupiter used the distraction of one of her four remaining generals to combine their attacks.  
"Rei!" Minako called to her fiancée, the Princess of Mars, who nodded. Flames erupted from her heels, and she flew toward the man she fought, stopping short of him, and spinning, engulfing him in brilliant red flames. The two remaining generals took refuge behind their queen. 

"Who?" Princess Serenity asked as she saw a figure moving toward her through the now pervasive magenta aura. As the woman drew closer, the shear crimson and black lace of her high-necked dress, and her flowing, wavy pink hair came into view. Endymion gasped when he saw her warm red eyes and the flipped, crimson crescent glowing on her forehead.  
"Chi… Chibiusa…" Usagi said softly when the younger woman gently cupped her hands, and drew them downward, ending the energy duel with the Dark Empress who recoiled, more drained than she would admit.  
"Who are you!? How dare you interfere!"  
"Such an impetuous person isn't suited to rule any world, much less to try to conquer others" Neo-Princess Serenity said pointedly as she turned to face the woman. She heard the quiet gasp. 

"Small Lady…" Setsuna breathed out, and Neo-Princess Serenity flicked her shawl behind herself more; her gaze never left that of the Dark Empress even as she walked toward the outer guardians. Setsuna approached her, and she smiled, finally breaking eye-contact with their enemy. The Princess reached upward to touch the taller woman's face, and Setsuna held her hands in place.  
"Plu…" she whispered, their eyes locked, but then, she noticed a streak of red at the edge of Setsuna's armor, and she touched her bicep just below the cut, wiping away the blood. The Plutonian woman watched her silently as she ripped her shawl, and tied it around the wound before turning back toward the Dark Empress and her two soldiers. She held out her hand, and pearl- and garnet-sheathed broadsword appeared in her hand.  
"Hotaru, could you heal her while I finish this?" (2) The tall woman whose deep indigo hair fell down her back nodded, though the Princess could not see her, and took hold of her best friend and mentor's arm, never letting the Dark Empress out of her sight. 

"You!? You think that you're going to defeat me? Don't make me laugh! Your precious Moon Princess couldn't even beat me!"  
"Wait…" Setsuna whispered.  
"I have no intention of 'defeating' you" the Princess said, unsheathing her sword that shone as if mirrored. The Dark Empress flinched slightly, and her soldiers stepped backward. The Princess pointed the blade at the other woman.  
"You have trespassed against the people of Earth, and against those most precious to me. As the Guardian and Princess of Earth, I sentence you to death." The woman tried to block the attack, but after a slight struggle, the blade passed through her force field. The blade disintegrated her as it cut, and as the echo of her scream vanished, so too did her threat to the planet. Her two soldiers backed away from the terran princess who regarded them, and her gaze softened.  
"You're pregnant" she said to one of the women who gasped, and instinctively covered her abdomen that had not yet begun to show the life it bore inside. The other woman, clearly her lover, regarded her in shock before quickly powering up, and pushing her behind herself. Neo-Princess Serenity shook her head.  
"You are pardoned. Go and never return to our solar system" she commanded.  
"But Chibiusa-chan!" the Princess of Mercury protested, and the younger woman flicked her sword, clearing it of blood before sheathing it; the motion silenced the Hermian.  
"Why? Why would you let us go?"  
"Who cares why, Cassandra, let's go!"  
"You should listen to your lover, and leave while I'm in a forgiving mood" the Princess said, and hesitantly, they latched on to one another.  
"Thank you" the pregnant woman said, and they vanished in a deep emerald beam of light. 

Neo-Princess Serenity held up her sword, and it vanished again into the dimension that only she could access. She allowed her aura to quiet, and when she turned, the others finally saw her fully, including the silver chain that she wore around her waist, and from which, three keys dangled.  
"Chibiusa…" Usagi said, and exhausted, she stumbled toward her.  
"Is it really you?" tears streaked her face, and the younger woman caught her when she latched on to her.  
"Usagi" she whispered as they held to one another.  
"It's been so long" Usagi cried.  
"It's OK. I'm home now." Usagi tightened her grip, but then pulled away.  
"Wait… What do you mean 'home?'" Those who had not heard the younger princess' words heard those of Usagi, and they looked to each other as if they might find answers there.  
"Did she say 'home?'" Minako asked Rei who nodded as she tried to eavesdrop. 

Setsuna stepped forward, her toned body still cloaked in silver armor over deep crimson silks. Instantly, Neo-Princess Serenity's attention was drawn toward her, and she smiled.  
"You're carrying the key that I gave to you, the one that I gave to your father, and the one that has rested with the Queen of the Moon for twelve thousand years." Usagi gasped and looked down at the keys at her waist, and the woman took that chance to step away from her, and carefully unlatch one of the keys.  
"Wait, but if it's supposed to be with the Queen… Did something happen to your parents?" Makoto asked worriedly, and the Princess shook her head as she approached Setsuna, and offered the key to her.  
"This key was used to keep you in check, and to hold the Kingdom of Pluto in allegiance to the Moon. My mother was never willing to touch it, and so, she kept it sealed beneath her throne. I am not the Queen of the Moon, but it turns out, that if it's Plutonian, it responds to me anyway." Setsuna searched her eyes as she let the key fall into her hand; she understood the seriousness of the situation.  
"Chibiusa… You stole it?" Usagi asked in horror, but her husband's hand on her shoulder steadied her.  
"Just listen" he offered gently. 

Neo-Princess Serenity unlatched another key from her belt, and offered it to Setsuna who held both keys together in her hand.  
"My father asked that I return this to you. He said 'tell Setsuna that it's enough, and that she deserves to be happy. Tell her that of everyone, she was my most cherished friend whom I've loved* more than anyone save my wife, and the daughter I send to her without regret. I only wish that it hadn't taken so long.'" A single tear rolled down her dark tan skin, and a slight tremor coursed down her spine. The Princess unlatched the last key, and clutched in for a moment.  
"The key that I stole from you when I was little, the one you gave to me so that I could always find you…" tears that did not fall shone in her eyes that had aged along with her. She opened her hand.  
"I found you. I'm not a little girl anymore, and so, even if it's selfish, I know where I belong. I'm home, Setsuna." (3) The others guardians blushed slightly at the directness of the youngest princess, but Setsuna's gaze softened as it always had upon her. The Plutonian latched the first two keys on to her own belt, and then gently curled the Princess' fingers around the last key, holding her hand in place. She drew the underside of her wrist to her deep burgundy lips before smiling at her.  
"This key is yours, not because you need it, but because as long as you have it, as long as I'm alive, we can never be torn apart. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I left your side, it was never what I wanted." Setsuna drew her into her arms, and the smaller woman clung to her, letting her envelop her. 

The other guardians watched their embrace silently, taking the opportunity to power-down into their civilian forms.  
"Quack" Haruka whispered to Michiru with a smirk, and at first, she looked surprised, but then she covered her smile as she understood her husband's covert reference to the phrase "if it looks like a duck…" Finally, Ami cleared her throat, and the two embracing women looked at each other, and smiled. Neo-Princess Serenity reached up to Setsuna.  
"You're crying" she said softly, gliding her thumb across her cheek, and brushing away the path of her earlier tear. Setsuna smiled, and held her hand in place.  
"I'm happy" she clarified. The Princess smiled and let her gown dematerialize before reforming into a less formal skirt and blouse. Setsuna blushed slightly, but retained her composure; she, too, powered-down into her civilian appearance. 

"Chibiusa, is it really true that you're planning to stay here? What about your parents, and your life back in your own time?"  
"And more importantly, isn't it forbidden, Setsuna-san? Won't it disrupt the space-time continuum?" Ami asked. Setsuna smirked slightly.  
"If staying here will bring her happiness, then she will."  
"But to be that permissive…" Setsuna shook her head, silencing her younger friend from whom she'd grown apart.  
"Ami-chan, my word is law in matters of time; it's decided."  
"Usagi, my parents will be fine. My mother and I have never been close, and my father understands that I need to be here. I love my parents, but…" she looked into the distance briefly, and Usagi caught sight of the same sad expression she'd noticed when she was only a child.  
"The person I need most isn't there, and never could be. It's better for everyone this way" she offered with a deceptively cheerful smile.  
"If that's the case, welcome home, Chibiusa" Hotaru said, and the others were compelled to agree (4).  
"Thanks."

* * *

 **Language notes:**

1\. At this point, Tomoe Hotaru is twenty-two years old, and has been living with Setsuna exclusively for six years since traveling with her to America while Setsuna was getting her Ph.D. They're very similar in many ways, though, Hotaru has taken on some of Haruka's sarcasm; they are also partner soldiers, and share fighting styles and two joint attacks.  
2, 4. These two do not use honorifics even after eight years as they're friends, and were "romantically" involved as kids (hence the quotations).  
3\. This is the first time that she's ever called her by her name. Note that she does not use honorifics.

*Here, Endymion is actually not using a word for "love," but rather is referring to the three (Usagi, their daughter, and Setsuna) as his "most important" people ("大切な" or "taisetsuna"). The best translation for the sentiment, though, is "love."

Lastly, note that "Princess" is capitalized for Usagi and Chibiusa to distinguish them from the other princesses.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Ties that Bind, Usagi's First Decree!  
**

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"It's just too surreal" Rei said, looking down into her tea. Tiredly, they had all congregated at Usagi and Mamoru's penthouse in Minato-ku. They took notice when Mamoru returned from tending to his exhausted, pregnant wife.  
"How is she?" Haruka asked before anyone else spoke, and Mamoru nodded.  
"She'll be fine; Ami-chan scanned she and the baby, and Hotaru-chan's just finishing healing her." He sighed as he sat down heavily on the sofa. Setsuna smiled softly, and poured a cup of tea, sliding it across the table. He smiled, and looked up at her.  
"Thanks, Setsuna-chan." She nodded, and returned her attention to the woman sitting beside her.  
"So then, is it the case that you've come here to be with her?" Mamoru asked, and the three present inner guardians blushed as they realized what he was suggesting.  
"To be with Setsuna-san…" Makoto said quietly, and the Princess smiled sadly.  
"She never told you why she didn't go with me at that time, did she?" The others looked in surprise at Setsuna, and the woman's dark eyes seemed to flicker as she remembered her last conversation with Neo-Queen Serenity.

"The day before Small Lady was recalled by her parents, the Queen summoned me to the palace. I hadn't been there since the Dark Moon attacked, and she asked me to walk with her. She took me to Small Lady's wing, and asked me what I noticed about it. I knew that she wouldn't like the truth because she'd always resented me a bit for my closeness to her husband and her daughter, and so, I simply told her that it seemed that Small Lady was growing up very quickly."  
"But that wasn't the truth?" Setsuna shook her head in response to Michiru's question.  
"It was true, but it wasn't the answer to the question she'd asked me. She asked me then 'what did this part of the palace look like the last time you were here?' Of course, I'd only been to the palace once before, but she knew that I would remember. When I didn't answer, she got very angry. She was crying, and she yelled 'are you going to tell me that you don't recognize that my only daughter has made my palace look like Pluto?' And then she handed me a notebook. After I looked at the images inside, she told me that she'd be recalling Small Lady, and that I was not to return with her. She thanked me for my assistance and loyalty to her family, and then released me from service to the Crown."  
"What!?" Haruka nearly growled. Rei and Minako shook their heads simultaneously.  
"That's impossible…" Rei said.  
"Usagi isn't like that. She wouldn't do something so awful knowing how close the two of you are." Setsuna sighed.

"Unfortunately, Minako-chan, the Princess and the Queen have different histories, and so, while they are similar, there are also very important differences."  
"I don't get it. Why would she care if Chibiusa-chan decorated her room to look like Pluto, whatever that means? And what was in the notebook?" Makoto asked.  
"I can answer that" Mamoru said with a sigh.  
"Sorry, Chibiusa, but back then, you were so secretive of your notebooks, and I worried. You were just a little girl who had been fighting wars since she was eight…"  
"It's OK" she assured him, and he looked to Setsuna.  
"When she was sleeping one night, I looked at her notebook, and saw drawings of all of us, but most especially of you – most of them were of you, and sometimes, it was of the two of you together. At that time, I wondered if maybe it was a crush, but decided not to interfere."  
"A crush…" Makoto said blushing; Rei pinched her brow.  
"I see… So, your mom got angry because you had a crush on a woman. I mean, I don't think Usagi would care because she's never judged any of us, but like Setsuna-san said, they're not exactly the same person so, I could see that."

"It's a little bit more complicated than you think, Rei-chan. I doubt that the Queen has a problem with her daughter being attracted to women, but I'm not like other women, not to her. You must understand that there's a history involved. Before her ancestors managed to steal one of the time keys, Pluto and the Moon were not allies at all. The solar system was often at war, and though my people were mostly neutral, we had a strong allegiance with Neptune, which was on the brink of war with the Moon. I feel certain that if that key hadn't been stolen, there would have been a war. After that, it was forbidden for the heir of the Moon Kingdom to marry anyone from the four outer planets, because there was a fear that power would be consolidated, the key would be returned, and the inner worlds would be rendered defenseless."  
"But that was thousands of years ago…"  
"Fear can last almost indefinitely, Minako-chan. When I was tasked with standing watch over the Gates of Time by the first Queen Serenity, I was given three taboos that I was not to violate. I could not abandon my post, travel through time, or cause time to stop. For two thousand years, I did my duty without question and without regret, but then…" she looked at the Princess and smiled.  
"You opened my door somehow, and your mother watched as the person she feared perhaps more than anyone broke every rule that was given to her, all for her daughter. When she saw your drawings, I'm sure she was afraid that twelve thousand years of peace among the planets was about to be broken as well."

"Setsuna came to me later that night. I'd never seen you look that way…" the Princess said, looking to her older friend with the echo of despair clear on her face.  
"You held me close to you, and just kept saying 'forgive me.' I didn't understand what was wrong, and I wanted to fix whatever was hurting you. I wanted to tell you that I'd have forgiven you for anything."  
"For the only time in my life, I betrayed the Moon Kingdom. Even though I knew it was selfish, I told Small Lady about what had happened between her mother and I. I told her that I didn't care what her drawings did or didn't mean, that I only wanted for her to be happy."  
"Setsuna told me that even though my mother had forbidden it, if I ever called for her, she would come to me. If what I'd been feeling before had been a crush, I think that was the moment that I fell in love with her, which is why I agreed to go back."  
"Why?" Makoto asked.  
"Because I was still just a child. I knew that if I'd stayed, I wouldn't have been able to keep quiet about how I felt, and that my feelings would have burdened her then. I also knew that my mother would never allow it, and that I'd have to wait until I was stronger than her. That day finally came this summer (1). There was a battle, I think it was the worst one that I've ever seen; people I knew, and people I didn't know were dying all around me. My mother was growing weak. I knew that if I didn't interfere, she would die, and that if I did, she would fear me. I may not agree with her, and I'll never forgive what she did to Setsuna, but I love her so, there was no way that I'd let her be killed. I had my Amazons shield she and my father, and ended the battle myself."

The older guardians noticed the darkness that momentarily rested in their friend's eyes as she focused on the depths of her tea cup. Realizing their concern, she sighed and set the cup down, smiling just as Hotaru entered the room behind her.  
"In any case, they're safe now. My father knew that I wanted to leave, and secretly allowed me to name Helios and Diana's child as my successor. It's not ideal because their child won't be as strong, but there was nothing else we could do."  
"You could have stayed" Ami interrupted, having heard the last part of her story.  
"To what end, Ami-chan? I'm not my mother, you know? I couldn't keep living there alone. Even if I were that selfless, I'd be more of a danger than a protection."  
"How can that be?" Ami challenged, and the Princess shook her head.  
"To live a life apart from the person dearest to me… Eventually, it would take its toll; even now, I can feel that loneliness inside of my heart, and it poisons me."  
"It's your responsibility…"  
"To become a tyrant!? Is that what you want!? Should I become a hollow, dark queen whose only solace is contempt?" The Hermian woman stepped back when a crimson crescent glowed on the Princess' forehead and her aura flared temporarily.  
"Ami-chan, please…" a soft voice said, instantly soothing the Princess who turned to see Usagi standing in the doorway.

"Usa-ko!" Mamoru ran to his wife, but she swatted him away, and took a seat on one of the sofas that were quickly becoming crowded.  
"When you came here as a little girl, there was this… darkness in you, a loneliness that I didn't understand. I still don't understand it, but I know that I didn't sense it when you were with Setsuna-san. It's selfish, right? Because I want you here, too. But I don't know how I became the woman you know as your mother in the future. What happened? What changed? Why is my own daughter not my top priority? I don't get it, but maybe I don't need to. Maybe it's enough if you just stay here. If that means that you abdicate, or if it means that we figure out something else here, if you want to stay and be with her, you should do that. You've grown up. You're not a little girl anymore, but you're still just as brave and loving as you were then. If you can't be your mother's daughter, you could be mine. If you can't live there, then stay here with Setsuna-san and the rest of us" tears rained down Usagi's face as she spoke, and the other guardians fell silent. She nodded, and wiped at the ever-flowing tears.  
"Welcome home" she said, and tears fell over long pink lashes. Because of her height, it was the younger princess who enveloped Usagi, and they clutched each other tightly. Setsuna smiled brightly at the two, and Ami said no more.

Shortly after the argument between the Princess and Ami, Luna and Artemis, who had been on a mission together arrived, and were brought up to speed on the situation. They also had news of their own.  
"I see, so today was just a prelude of things to come…" Haruka said, leaning backward into the couch, and staring up at the tall ceiling. Michiru's hand found his, and he looked at her; they shared a smile that conveyed all that needed to be said.  
"If our information is correct, we can expect many more attacks in the future" Luna told them. Usagi instinctively covered her slightly swollen abdomen, and shook her head.  
"Why won't it stop? Why can't we all just live in peace?" The clacking sound of the Princess setting down her tea cup shattered the lingering silence. She walked over to look out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, pressing her fingertips lightly against the glass. It was still raining outside, and Setsuna joined her but said nothing.  
"Let them come then. Whoever it is, I won't allow it. This fragile planet, and all of the people living in it… to protect them and the people I love, there's very little that I wouldn't do." She turned and looked to Usagi, their eyes locking.  
"It'll be OK. I'll fight. I'll help you protect the child you're carrying. I'll protect you, Usagi." The resolution in her eyes and in her voice calmed the inner guardians, and inspired the outers.  
"You won't be alone. I'll always fight beside you" Hotaru said, joining them at the window. Haruka and Michiru nodded toward each other, and joined them, too.  
"We'll fight together, all of us" Michiru added, and Haruka nodded.  
"Chibiusa… Everyone…" Usagi said softly; she nodded in agreement.  
"We'll stay together like always" Mamoru added words to her motion, and the others nodded their agreement as well.

"Then, Chibiusa-chan, what will you do now that you're staying here? I don't mean as a guardian, but for the rest of it?" Makoto asked.  
"Well, first, I should tell you that I stopped being called 'Chibiusa' almost eight years ago. Because my mother continues to be called 'Usagi,' I started going by my middle name, 'Serenity (2).'"  
"Serenity…" several of the said in unison.  
"That's easy enough to remember" Haruka teased.  
"And it's more fitting since you're not really 'chibi' anymore, right?" Michiru asked with a smile. Serenity nodded to the older woman whom she'd never ceased to admire (3). 

* * *

**Language notes:**

1\. Chapter One begins in early winter of 2005.  
2\. In the manga, she introduces herself of "Usagi Small Lady Serenity;" to clearly distinguish her from Usagi, and to accommodate her maturation, I've opted to have her use the last of these names.  
3\. In the anime, it was implied that she saw Michiru as a sort of ideal princess, and admired her, though, she sometimes also envied her as a child. 


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Then and Now, Nightmares and Dreams**

* * *

 **Charon, Silver Millennium**

 _"Setsuna, come with me" the Queen of Pluto extended her hand to her teenaged daughter whom she'd found in the interior-most courtyard of their palace on Charon. Setsuna's fearful gaze shifted from the stars above to her mother's face. They both knew that a great darkness was approaching; from the darkness of her eyes, it was obvious to Setsuna that her mother had been crying._

 _"No! I won't leave you; I won't leave everyone! Why would the Queen send away her best weapon to combat our enemy?"_

 _"You're not a weapon, you're my daughter, and you will do as I say!" Setsuna was stunned silent by her mother's uncharacteristic screaming, and by her condescension. A sob broke past Queen Wakana's deep burgundy lips, and she approached Setsuna, cupping her face. Tears streaked the older woman's fair skin, and she shook her head._

 _"Setsuna, please, you're all that I have, all that I've ever called mine in this life. Live, live for me, for all of us so that our history, our culture, our people, all of it is not lost. We can't win. If you were older, if all of you kids were older, perhaps… but you're not ready for this, not even you, my beloved daughter. You are the only one we can save so please, do this for me?" Tears cascaded down the princess's face, and her attention was momentarily drawn to the white-haired woman lurking sadly at the edge of the Queen's chambers. She wanted to protest further, but she bit her lip, and seized her mother tightly. They clutched each other, and Queen Wakana ran her fingers through her daughter's long green hair one last time before pushing back, taking off her garnet pendant, and fastening around Setsuna's neck._

 _"My heart" she whispered, pressing her lips to Setsuna's forehead._

 **Tokyo, January 1998**

 _The feeling of a hand gently moving through the waves of her pink hair awakened the sleeping child. As she blinked her eyes, the vision of tear-filled crimson eyes and a gentle smile came into view. A tear rolled off of Setsuna's narrow shin, and fell to the girl's cheek._

 _"Small Lady" she whispered, collapsing over her, holding her close to herself._

 _"Forgive me" Setsuna repeated. Her silent sobbing shook both of them, and without knowing why the woman was crying, tears made their way down the girl's face, and she returned her embrace._

 **Tokyo, November 2005**

"Setsuna, Setsuna, please…" Hotaru tried to wake the woman whose body thrashed against the weight of her linen sheets. Her eyes and jaw tightly clenched, Setsuna groaned quietly.

"No" she begged, and tears escaped to stain her face. Her back arched, and a sob caught in her throat before she collapsed heavily. Her hands loosened their grip on her sheets, and her muscles relaxed, though her tears continued now unhindered. Hotaru's indigo eyes rested sadly upon her, and she gently touched her face, pressing her lips to her forehead as her own body glowed darkly.

"Just rest now" she whispered, but she whipped around when she heard the door to their apartment close. By the time she reached the door to Setsuna's bedroom, she had to move aside as Serenity ran past her. The small woman collapsed over Setsuna, and held her tightly. Her nightgown was soaked through from the rain outside, and her robe fell in disarray around her.

"Plu" she whispered to the sleeping woman.

"Setsuna" she said, holding her face, and looking down at her.

"Why won't she wake up?" Hotaru smiled sadly and shook her head at the woman who looked pleadingly at her.

"She'll wake up in a few hours." Her eyes widened in shock, and she looked again to the sleeping woman. Hotaru took a towel from the dresser nearby, and draped it over her hair.

"What did you do to her?" Serenity's voice was quiet, as was her judgment. Hotaru continued to dry her hair with the towel.

"It's alright, I've done this many times before, and she know that I do it. She's never slept well, and a few years ago, I noticed that this happens every once in a while. It's under control, but it's not easy to watch."

"A few years ago… When you were lovers, you mean?" Hotaru's hands froze in place.

"She told you?"

"She didn't have to, neither of you had to say anything." Hotaru sighed, and sat down beside them on the bed.

"I'm sure that she would have told you eventually. It's not like her to keep secrets from you, even though she wishes that she could sometimes." Serenity nodded.

"And what about you? Are you still in love with her?" Hotaru smiled, and looked at the sleeping woman, before focusing her smile and the intensity of her gaze that was much like Setsuna's upon her friend.

"When have I not been in love with the both of you?" She shook her head.

"But it doesn't work, does it? Not between us, and not between Setsuna and me. If it hadn't been the case with her as well, I would blame myself, and I'd say that I'm simply too difficult to love, but… love wasn't the problem. We simply don't fit that way, not the way the two of you fit together."

"It's the same, I think, for all of us, isn't it?" Serenity asked, piquing the darkly ethereal woman's surprise and interest, but she quickly understood her meaning, and focused on the rain outside of the eighteenth story window.

"I guess it can't be helped." She stood then, and laced her fingers in Serenity's hair.

"I'll get you something dry to wear. Then, you should try to sleep. Stay with her, it'll make her happy." Serenity nodded, and as Hotaru pulled her hand away, she captured it, and kissed her palm before releasing her.

"Thank you, Hotaru." The woman retreated silently, and returned from Setsuna's closet with a white button down shirt.

"Neither of us sleep in pajamas, and there isn't much here that wouldn't swallow you" she apologized, but Serenity stood to face her. Both women were unflinching as she let her robe and nightgown fall to the dark wooden floor, taking the shirt for Hotaru and buttoning a few buttons before draping her wet clothes across the edge of the dresser. She moved beneath the covers, and rested beside Setsuna, one of her arms moving across her bare abdomen.

"Goodnight" Hotaru whispered with a smile as she drew the door closed behind herself.

 **Crystal Tokyo, 3002**

 _Serenity stood in the cool night air, hugging her heavy silk robe around herself as she looked up to the heavens. She felt his presence but said nothing as her father approached her from behind. He enveloped her with his arms and his light purple cloak, and sighed._

 _"We missed you after you left the banquet earlier" he told her, and she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow and a knowing expression. The King smiled sheepishly at having been caught in an exaggeration by his teenaged daughter._

 _"I missed you" he clarified, and she leaned back against his shoulder._

 _"I will always miss you" he added, and her hands clutched his arms tightly._

 _"Then you know?" He nodded._

 _"I'm your father, and you're in love with my best friend, how could I not know?" It was the first time that she'd heard what she felt in her heart uttered by another, and a shiver ran down her spine._

 _"I only ever wanted for you to be happy, and you can never be that here. I don't want to lose you, but then… Your mother and I have never really had you, have we? You became Setsuna's the moment you opened her door, maybe even before then because something allowed you to find and open that door in the first place. It's fate, I think." Serenity chuckled._

 _"You sound like Michiru-san" she said, and he smiled, remembering his fallen friend and her lover, both who had been cut down when they were far too young._

 _"I haven't heard that name in some time" he said quietly, and Serenity paused._

 _"What happened to them? In this time?" Endymion sighed, closing his eyes for a moment._

 _"There was a battle with a woman named Mistress Nine, she'd taken over the body of a girl who should have become Sailor Saturn. Michiru-san and Haruka-san sacrificed themselves to stop her, but all three of them perished. That's why only the inner guardians are here today, and why your mother has never been fully able to face certain things. She was so young, and there was nothing any of us could do for her. I just remember her crying and asking 'how could anything this awful happen?' There's no way that you can ever really prepare for that, even if you're fighting every day."_

 _"No" Serenity agreed, tightening her grip on his arms just slightly._

 **Tokyo, November 2005**

Setsuna felt a heaviness on her chest, and her heart pulsed loudly as her mind roared awake. She blinked her eyes, and blushed when she looked down to see the younger woman wrapped around her own toned body. Her embarrassment subsided, and she gently moved one of her hands to lace within Serenity's hair. She leaned down, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Her gaze flickered tiredly toward the dimness of the early morning before she rested peacefully.

* * *

 **Notes:**

1\. Italicized portions are dreams of past events.

2\. Setsuna and Hotaru were romantically involved for about a year between 2002-2003.

3\. Neither Setsuna nor Hotaru sleep in pajamas - Setsuna because of Plutonian custom, and Hotaru because of Setsuna, though, the latter does wear underclothes. This is mentioned as other things will be that give insight into Setsuna's cultural background, and is not intended to, nor should it be sexualized.

4\. In the Crystal Millennium timeline, Setsuna never left her post, and the other outers were killed during the Infinity Arc.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Reflections and Transpositions**

* * *

Hotaru smirked as Setsuna walked toward their kitchen while still buttoning her light purple shirt, which was more fitted and more buttoned than Hotaru's own dark purple one. The younger woman slid a cup of tea across the granite toward her while continuing to nurse her own espresso.

"What would I ever do without you?" Setsuna chuckled.

"I'm sure you'd re-learn to make tea" Hotaru teased, and Setsuna shook her head.

"I don't mean that." Hotaru's gaze softened, and she reached across the island between them, touching Setsuna's chin, a gesture she'd picked up, among many other things, from Setsuna.

"I think you slept better with Small Lady here. You should ask her to stay over more frequently, don't you think?" Setsuna looked away, and Hotaru smiled.

"Stop holding back for me. We all three know where this is going, and you're hurting yourself and her by holding back. I'll be fine, besides, it's not like I'm being replaced in either case. For once, I'm myself with her and not your substitute, and I'm not being replaced by her, either." Setsuna pulled away, and walked around the island, facing her, their eyes locked momentarily.

"Thank you, Hime" she said solemnly, bringing her palm to her face, and pressing her lips firmly against it. Hotaru smiled directly at Serenity when she entered the room (1).

They were so much alike, and yet so different, that's what Serenity thought as she walked into the main area of the loft to see the two women she loved most facing one another. She heard Setsuna thank Hotaru before kissing her hand, and she smiled at the scene and its meaning. 

"I wish that I could paint you" she interrupted, and Setsuna turned to see her warm smile.

"Small Lady" Setsuna whispered. Serenity approached them, and cupped Setsuna's face in her hands; Setsuna's larger hands held them in place.

"Even if the world ends, let's stay together, all three of us, OK?" Statements about the end of the world were not uncommon from Serenity, and they continued to worry Setsuna in particular, but she said nothing, instead drawing her into her arms, and entangling her fingers into the small woman's wavy hair.

"I promise you." Serenity's eyes closed as she rested peacefully in her arms. The sound of keys jingling disturbed them, and the gothic woman eyed them from where she was pulling on her leather coat and boots.

"Then, should we go?" Setsuna and Serenity shared a smile, and nodded. 

Usagi blushed instinctively when the three women entered the quickly-crowding seaside café that Haruka and Michiru had invited them all to for brunch, though only Rei and Usagi were able to join them. Usagi wasn't sure when her not-so-future daughter had left the night before, but it was clear where she'd been.

"You're staring" Rei told her, and she blushed further, trying to re-focus her attentions on her French toast. It was hard not to notice the attention the women drew from other patrons, and Haruka smirked.

"You're late" he teased, and Serenity smirked right back.

"Did you miss us?"

"Clearly, you didn't miss each other…" he retorted, causing his young friend and Setsuna to blush slightly.

"Haruka…" Michiru warned through a smile that told him that she secretly approved.

"We're glad you could make it anyway." Hotaru caught a passing waiter and ordered a cappuccino before sitting down.

"Hotaru-chan, you've grown up to be so cool. I always forget how you were as a little girl when I see you now, but then, I think 'wow, she's really an adult.'" Rei smiled as she spoke, and Hotaru chuckled softly.

"Is that so?"

"I don't think she's all that different from back then, only more confident" Serenity countered, adoration clear in her voice; Setsuna nodded her agreement.

"So, what are you ladies up to for the rest of the day?" Michiru asked.

"I'm going to pick Mina up at Shibuya later since her flight gets in late already. I think Usagi wanted to go shopping, right?" Usagi nodded enthusiastically.

"Mamo-chan said if I picked out things for the nursery, he'd set it up next weekend."

"I can't believe it's been five months already" Haruka sighed.

"And I got my ultrasound results back on Wednesday. We're having a girl!" Usagi said excitedly, before laughing in embarrassment.

"Um… at least as far as we can tell" she added, smiling and nodded to Haruka who smiled back at her.

"Then, Michiru-san, would you like to help me paint the nursery?" Serenity asked, and Usagi's face lit up.

"Really!?" Michiru nodded.

"Sure, it'll be fun." Haruka and Setsuna were the only ones to notice the slight tinge of sadness in her smile.

"It'll be good practice for when the two of you have children" Setsuna said.

"After all, it's possible for all of us" she added, surprising Rei.

"Really?" Setsuna and Hotaru both nodded. Haruka sipped his coffee.

"What do you think, should we start a family soon as well?" Michiru, who had hesitated to bring up the subject, was surprised by the solemnness in his voice and his bright slate eyes.

"Haruka" she said softly, and he smiled, leaning over and kissing her temple.

"Let's talk about it." She nodded.

"That would be so great if you two had kids! You and Minako, too, Rei!" Usagi cheered, and Rei blushed deeply, and pinched her brow.

"Don't say something like that so casually. Mina and I are both way too busy to think about having kids yet, but… I'd definitely like to someday. I'm really happy that we'll be able to together; thank you for telling me" Rei said to Setsuna.

"Maybe Setsuna-san and Chibiusa, will beat you then!" Usagi teased, and everyone except for Hotaru blushed the moment that the words left her mouth.

"Or rather…" Usagi laughed as she tried to salvage the situation.

"Usagi… I don't think that they're even dating" Rei said quietly, and Hotaru shook her head.

"Plutonians don't date, Rei-chan."

"What?"

"Oh, I forgot about that" Michiru added to the confusion of Usagi, Rei, and Haruka.

"What do you mean they don't date; is this another taboo?" Haruka asked incredulously. Setsuna shook her head, but it was Serenity who spoke.

"Traditionally, the only person you can have a romantic relationship with before marriage is the person you're engaged to marry. It's a little impractical by Earth standards, but it makes sense on Pluto."

"But then, what does that mean? That you two can't date after all?" Usagi asked in confusion, and clear distress at the idea. Rei's sharp eyes scanned all three of the women across from them; she noticed Hotaru's smirk, Serenity's confidence, and Setsuna's solemnness.

"… Or that you already plan to marry her?"

"Eh!? How can you get married without even dating first!?" Usagi asked.

"It's not necessary if you already know the person you love" Setsuna said, and Usagi and Rei blushed deeply (2).

"The point of dating is to get to know someone; if you already know them, then it's redundant, and only creates more of a distance between you than necessary. Still… This is my culture, not yours; I should have spoken with you about this before just assuming" Setsuna admitted, and Serenity shook her head.

"Don't forget that the thing that so bothered my mother, and frustrated my tutors for the last five years is that I refused to train myself to become my mother's heir."

"What do you mean?" Rei asked, and the younger woman's bright eyes flickered up to look at her.

"I knew that I'd never become the Queen of the Moon, and likely not the Queen of Earth, either. But one thing that I was fairly certain of, Rei-chan, was that I would become a Queen. So, even though it's not my culture, it's also not foreign to me. What I'm saying is that you shouldn't apologize for what I already understood" she said with a gentle smile toward Setsuna. Setsuna nodded, and drew the underside of Serenity's wrist to her lips before releasing her (3).

"My, it seems like we're not the only ones who don't abide by cultural norms when it comes to affection" a high, husky voice teased with a chuckle that was echoed by an even huskier, lower voice. The guardians' attentions were drawn to the couple who seemed to be walking toward the exit. They were both tall, and of nearly equal height. The girl's arms were laced around the boy's, and they appeared to be perhaps in their late teens or early twenties. Haruka and Michiru blushed upon seeing them.

"I think it's important. If you love someone, you should never pretend otherwise" the boy said.

"Don't you think so?" He looked directly at Serenity whose eyes widened, but then softened.

"It's unusual for a boy to be so openly romantic" she teased, and he chuckled.

"I take after my mother" he offered, and the girl with him leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"That's true."

"Have a good day" the two said in unison before leaving. Rei and Usagi watched them with pink-tinted cheeks.

"Don't they remind you of Haruka-san and Michiru-san?" Rei nodded in steadfast agreement. Serenity seized the opportunity to poach the last piece of French toast from Usagi's plate.

"Hey!" Usagi whined as she watched the morsel disappear through rose-colored lips that grinned at her.

"This is why you should never, ever let down your guard."

* * *

 **Notes:**

1\. Setsuna would have called Mamoru to drop off clothes for Serenity earlier that morning so, she's not swimming in either Setsuna or Hotaru's clothes (both women being about 17 cm taller).

2\. Here, Setsuna is explicitly using the term "愛しているの人" or "aishiteiru no hito" for the person that one loves (romantically).

3\. This is a Plutonian gesture reserved exclusively for a woman to whom you're either engaged or married. Note that the gesture first appears in Chapter 1.


	6. Chapter 5: Allies or Enemies?

**Chapter 5: Allies or Enemies? Mysterious New Guardians Appear!**

* * *

Haruka, Hotaru, and Mamoru hung their heads as they sat next to each other in the fifth department store that afternoon.

"I should have stayed to help Motoki-san finish moving" Mamoru said with a heavy sigh, dropping the bags he'd been carrying, and tapping his shoulders. Haruka set the bags he carried down, and rubbed at the creases forming in his palms.

"I should have gone to the track instead." Hotaru pressed her forehead against her folded hands.

"And how did we go from things for the baby to coat shopping?"

"At least the two of you make sense. You're the ones who decided to get married. What did I ever do to deserve this? Honestly, I only thought Setsuna was bad; Serenity and Usagi-san are an order of magnitude worse at least, and I'd forgotten what Michiru-mama was like." Haruka laughed, and patted her back gently.

"I'm a little jealous, hime-chan, you're more manly than me." Hotaru glared at him, and both Haruka and Mamoru laughed at her expense. Flustered, Hotaru stood up with regal determination.

"Enough. I'm perfectly single, and thus, perfectly free to spend my Sunday as I see fit, which is certainly not as a pack mule along with you two. I'm leaving…"

"Hotaru!" The woman froze when she heard the soft voice behind her, and she turned around with a sheepish grin. Serenity was standing nearby, holding a deep purple, leather trench coat. She offered it to Hotaru.

"All of us thought that this would look nice on you." Hotaru's pale skin flushed lightly.

"Why don't you try it on?" Setsuna asked when she joined them, wearing a wool trench coat in deep crimson. Hotaru took off her jacket, and let it fall to the bench she'd just occupied. Usagi and Rei blushed when they emerged from the racks to see Hotaru just as she flipped her hair out from the back of the coat. Michiru chuckled at the two younger girls.

"Such expressions." Both of them blushed deeper.

"Why are you blushing!?" Rei demanded.

"What about you, Rei! I'm gonna tell Minako!"

"At least I'm gay!"

"That makes it worse!"

"Well?" Hotaru asked, turning to face everyone, and unknowingly silencing Rei and Usagi's whispered bickering. Mamoru also blushed, and he chuckled, scratching at his hair. Usagi and Rei nodded their approval, and Michiru covered her smirk as she joined them, though, less enthusiastically. Setsuna approached her, and adjusted the collar a bit before smiling.

"Perfect" she said, and Hotaru smiled, and looked to Serenity who nodded her agreement.

"Some people's daughters grow up to be lawyers or housewives, mine had to grow up to be a heartbreaker" Haruka complained with a smirk that brought a poorly-stifled laugh passed Michiru's lips. Hotaru glared playfully at him, and shook her head.

"I guess I took after you then, didn't I?" Haruka laughed.

"I guess" he conceded. They were interrupted by a loud crashing sound and sirens from outside, and several people ran into the store, screaming in terror. The guardians all ran toward the people, and the entrance.

"What's happening?" Mamoru asked.

"What are you running from?" Serenity added. One man stopped long enough to answer them, pointing with a shaking finger toward the entrance.

"Monster!" he yelled, then running again. They all looked to one another, and nodded, ducking into the abandoned front hallway that housed the elevator.

 _"Pluto Crystal…"_

 _"Saturn Crystal…"_

 _"Uranus Crystal…"_

 _"Neptune Crystal…"_

 _"Pink Crystal…"_

 _"Silver Crystal…"_

 _"Golden Crystal…"_

 _"Mars Crystal…"_

 _"Invoke!"_

A red gown, slit high on one side swirled around Rei. Black and silver armor enveloped Mamoru, as a white and golden gown did Usagi. Electricity sparked around Serenity as her black, red, and pink gown materialized. A flowing deep aqua gown engulfed Michiru's curves, and sapphire blue and gold armor cloaked her husband. Deep indigo covered Hotaru tightly, hints of black straps encircling her. Fitted, brown trousers hid behind the white silk that hung from Setsuna's silver belt; more silk of both colors laid beneath her crimson armor. They ran outside to find two, four-meter-tall monsters wandering through the streets, lifting cars, and sniffing under them. A woman stood between them, a mask covering the lower half of her face, straps circling over her pointed ears.

"You! What do you think you're doing?" the Princess of the Moon challenged, drawing their attention, two cars falling to the ground as the goblin-like creatures turned their attentions toward her.

"Terrorizing innocent people, and causing chaos, I won't allow it…" The other woman wordlessly pointed toward the Princess, whom Serenity immediately pushed behind herself. Before any of them could respond, the monsters, who has only just started to move toward them screamed. Usagi winced when she saw spears of ice impale the creatures who whined before disintegrated into the aether.

"What!?" They and their enemy looked toward the direction of the ice, and saw two figures perched on the beam of a nearby stoplight.

"Who are you!?" the woman screamed, and the two vanished, reappearing back-to-back from a pool of water caused by one of the goblins ripping out a fire hydrant, between the guardians and the invader. From their vantage point, the guardians could see only their profile, which were partially obscured by the man's chocolate colored, and the woman's light turquoise wavy hair. The woman was cloaked in turquoise silk even lighter than her hair, silver armed her shoulders and abdomen, with light traces of gold. The man wore black and silver armor over burgundy silk. Serenity's eyes widened, and Setsuna noticed her body tense; she turned her gaze to the two warrior.

"Where's the Emperor?" The man asked sternly, his voice husky and commanding. The woman shrieked.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Who are you? How dare you interfere!" When the woman started to condense matter in her palms to form new monsters, the turquoise-haired woman flicked her wrist, and water condensed from the air into ice that circled the alien like a cage of arrows.

"I believe he asked you a question. You'd be wise to answer" her husky, melodic voice rang out laced with condescension.

"I won't tell you anything! Get out of my way!" The woman tried to power up, but the guardians watched as the armored man in front of them materialized a garnet-sheathed sword; when he drew it, it appeared to shimmer like a diamond.

"Gravity Cyclone" he whispered, and a dark maroon whirlwind of energy spread out from the sword as he unsheathed it. There was no escape. Their enemy screamed once more before disappearing into the energy before it dissipated. He sheathed the blade, and the two nodded to one another, locking hands before sinking back into the water.

* * *

 **Notes:**

1\. Because Hotaru was separated from Haruka and Michiru at the age of sixteen (when she went with Setsuna to the US), she never stopped referring to them as her parents, though, she's isn't overly deferential, either. That she inherited some of Haruka's sarcasm will continue to appear.

2\. This is how the transform into their Princess/Prince forms. Italics is just meant to indicate that they're overlapping in their transformations.

3\. The sword is very unlike Haruka's, Serenity's, and Mamoru's, which are all of European design. This sword looks similar to an Indian talwar.


End file.
